Vanessa Lui—Newcastle, UK

In a world dominated by social media and instant online communication, sharing our lives has never been easier. We are constantly sending and receiving information. Pretty pictures, tasty food, beautiful landscapes—we are all familiar with sharing good things on various platforms.

However, the true beauty of the internet lies in our ability to share the gospel through social media. Methods of communication are ever-evolving, far-reaching, and increasingly convenient. Since our commission to preach remains unchanged, how can we use these ubiquitous channels to carry out personal evangelism?

The internet enables us to preach beyond geographical limitations, reaching multiple groups of people simultaneously and sharing the truth regularly with both friends and strangers. Our responsibility is to seize these opportunities and adapt. As a mutual encouragement, I would like to describe my experiences of preaching online, in the hope that we can continue to share our faith through social media.

WHY I PREACH ONLINE

         And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mk 16:15)

Preaching should always be at the forefront of our minds. Reflecting on God's wonderful grace, I am compelled to fulfill my duty to preach. In our daily lives, we are blessed with opportunities to share the truth with those we meet. However, I also began sharing about my faith online because I recognized social media as an excellent additional platform for preaching.

My thought process on preaching online can be summarized as follows:

1.     My faith and preaching are important.

2.     It is easy—just a few clicks—and costs nothing.

3.     God can bring someone to believe through any method, and many people are on social media.

4.     My posts may reach friends, acquaintances, or strangers with whom I might never otherwise discuss my faith.

5.     By posting regularly, I create more opportunities for others to discuss the truth with me.

Social media has always been a useful way to connect. My local church always encourages us to evangelize online, and during the pandemic, I saw even more clearly how crucial this was. When we share our faith online, it reaches both friends and strangers. Others can access our posts about the truth any time, anywhere. While this should not replace in-person preaching, it allows us to raise awareness of the church more widely than ever before. We may have friends who are not always open to faith-related conversations, but if they are connected to us on social media, they will likely see our posts. We rely on God to use these posts to reach and touch people's hearts. A virtual evangelistic pamphlet can truly spark someone's curiosity to discover the truth.

Therefore, no matter whether I am preaching online or in person, my motive remains unchanged. We preach because we love God and man—if there is an accessible platform at our fingertips, it is only wise to use it.

HOW I PREACH ONLINE

Once I am motivated to post, I do not dwell on the logistics. Posting is simple, and the way I share my faith online mirrors how I share with others in person—only in text form.

Since it is our responsibility to present the truth in a way that is accessible and easy to comprehend, I continue to consider and reflect on the following points.

1. Where Should I Post?

I am most active on Instagram, where my account is public. I am connected with most of my friends there, and some strangers follow me for my educational content and travel photos. Since I often post Stories on Instagram, it was a good place to start. Stories are visible on the platform for twenty-four hours before disappearing, and anyone following me can easily click, view, and respond to them with one swipe.

Ultimately, we can utilize any platform. It does not matter how many friends or followers we have—even if we have only one, a post can potentially lead one soul to God.

2. What Should I Post?

Social media gives us the advantage of time—we can take as long as we want to compose a message. My posts typically include an image, a caption, and a call to action.

Image: I either use graphics provided by my local church's evangelistic planning group (EPG) or my own photos (for example, a scenic shot).

Caption: Captions are helpful because they provide an explanation and make the post more personal. We want to be warm, friendly, and inviting—helping others understand that we are always open for a conversation. My captions are fairly direct and informal, and they vary significantly from post to post, much like how I would converse with my friends.

Call to action: This allows anyone interested in the post to take the next step and learn more. It could be a link to an article on www.tjc.org or an invitation to send me a direct message (dm) for more information.

 

 

I vary the details in each post depending on what I want to share. Not every post needs to include a lot of information—even a simple "Happy Sabbath" with a link to the True Jesus Church website can spark a conversation. This is especially true on social media, where it is likely the same people who view our posts. Some prefer shorter captions, while others like to have more to read. Regardless, frequent posts help others to retain the range of information and truth we share over time.

We can share church events, Bible verses, or our testimonies—if we have the desire to post it, we can.

3. When Should I Post?

Many of our connections on these platforms spend a significant amount of time engaging with social media on a daily basis. Sharing our faith weekly can help keep the truth fresh in their memories. I find the Sabbath to be the perfect opportunity to share. We also need to follow up with truth-seekers who respond to our posts.

EXPERIENCES PREACHING ONLINE

Thank God for His guidance. The following are three experiences that have encouraged me to continue preaching online.

1. Church poster for online evangelistic service: "Baptize in the Name of Jesus"

Caption: "Message me for more details to join! Learn about the mode of baptism for salvation in the Bible."

Respondent: A stranger in a part of the United Kingdom with no True Jesus Church.

In November 2020, after posting about an online evangelistic service on my Instagram Stories, a stranger responded that she was interested in attending. I introduced myself, directed her to some church links, and suggested that we attend together. Thank God, she joined her first virtual service. I also contacted my local EPG, and we formed a group chat with two other brethren. She asked many questions, and we held regular video calls to study the truth together as a group. From December 2020 to September 2021, she attended truth classes nearly every week, learning about the church's doctrines. After she moved to a location with a True Jesus Church in September 2021, she visited the church for the first time and regularly attended until May 2022. Today, we remain in contact with her and continue to pray that God will open her heart to understand what we have shared with her.

2. Photo of the golden hour light coming through my window

Caption: "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6. I'm so grateful it's Sabbath tonight."

Respondent: A stranger in Texas, United States

I truly thank God that social media allows us to connect and share the truth with people across the world. One Friday evening, someone from Texas in the United States viewed my post. We discussed the Sabbath, and I invited her to attend online services. Thank God for His guidance. Over the next few months, we exchanged messages. Several church members and I worked together to provide answers to her various questions about the truth. Later, we contacted members in the United States to continue the follow-up work, giving her the opportunity to attend church in person.

3. Church poster: "Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy ..."

Caption: "Feel free to join our services or message me for more details ☺~~"

Respondent: A stranger in Vienna, Austria

Thank God for the internet, which allows others to access our church services easily. Someone from Vienna responded to my Story and said that she would love to join our services from the comfort of her home. She attended a service on the following Saturday and found it quite inspiring and different from her usual Catholic masses.

OVERCOMING WORRIES THROUGH PRAYER

"No one will see."

"What if I get judged?"

"I've tried a few times, but it didn't work."

"I'm not sure what to say ..."

         I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. (1 Cor 3:6–7)

This verse encourages me greatly regarding all my potential worries. Sometimes, I think a lot about what to say and whether the post will reach the right people. Of course, we have to do our part, but God is in control. Ultimately, the most important aspect of our preaching is prayer. For instance, before and after posting, I tell God, "I have shared this post; please guide it to reach others so they may come to know Your truth." Our follow-up work includes continual prayer for our posts—we should not simply click "share" and forget about them.

         And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Cor 2:4–5)

It is God's word that makes our sharing effective, not "persuasive words of human wisdom." We preach for God, so we do not need to overthink—as long as we share our posts with the correct motive and dedicate prayers to this matter, God will guide the work.

CONCLUSION

Today, I continue to reflect on whether I am utilizing social media to its full potential. What else could I share about the church? This reminds me of the need to do more. I may have the intention, but I also need to take conscientious action.

When we post online, we create opportunities. There are many more opportunities I have not yet created, and often, posting about my faith online slips my mind. But thank God, every day we have another chance to make better choices on social media.

Sharing the gospel has never been easier. Social media provides us with a unique opportunity to share as much as we want. Since we have been given the truth, let us make every effort to optimize all our resources for God. It only takes a few clicks and prayers: share a simple post today.